Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Nissan

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have received regarding the publication of the letter they sent to Nissan regarding investment in its Sunderland plant.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: I refer the noble Lord to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s evidence to the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee on 14 December 2016, HC 566.



Secretary of State's evidence to Select Committee
(PDF Document, 243.37 KB)

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Waste Management: EU Law

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 29 November (HL3318), whether they will transpose into UK law any changes to EU waste legislation which are made before the UK leaves the European Union.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Until exit negotiations are concluded, the UK remains a full member of the European Union and all the rights and obligations of EU membership remain in force. During this period the Government will continue to negotiate, implement and apply EU legislation, including in relation to any changes to waste legislation.

Fly-tipping

The Earl of Shrewsbury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the cost to local authorities of cleaning up fly tipping of waste.

The Earl of Shrewsbury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what remedies are available to local authorities against fly tippers.

The Earl of Shrewsbury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what compensation and remedies are available to private landowners with regard to fly tipping on their land.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The estimated cost of clearance of fly-tipping to local authorities in 2014/15 was nearly £50 million. Local authorities dealt with nearly 900,000 incidents of fly-tipping in 2014/15, with nearly two thirds of fly-tips involving household waste.The penalties for fly-tipping are imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or a fine, or both, on summary conviction; or imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or a fine, or both, on conviction on indictment.In May 2016 the Government gave local councils the power to issue Fixed Penalty Notices for small-scale fly-tipping as an alternative to prosecution. The fine for a Fixed Penalty Notice is between £150 and £400 as specified by the waste collection authority, and £200 if no amount is specified.Local authorities are not under any legal obligation to clear fly-tipped waste from private property, so this responsibility falls to the landowner. Depending on the circumstances, local authorities will often provide advice and guidance on measures that can be taken to prevent further fly-tipping, or may investigate an incident if there is sufficient evidence. Some authorities may also offer a clearance service but they are likely to charge for this. Government officials chair the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group to promote and disseminate good practice in the prevention, reporting, investigation and clearance of fly-tipped waste.

Water Companies

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of the UK's water industry is owned and operated by companies based outside the UK.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: In England and Wales, there are seventeen large regulated companies with a regional monopoly to provide water and/or sewerage services. Of these, fifteen are at least partially owned by investors outside the UK. All regulated water companies are headquartered in the UK. In Northern Ireland, water and sewerage services are provided by a government-owned company. In Scotland, water and sewerage services are provided by a public corporation.